8 Great Podcasts For Running, Commuting or Just Tuning Out

Mom to 5K: Week 7

I’m a bit late with this week’s running post. I was a proper slacker at the weekend. I’m blaming Mother’s Day and the fact that my other half was off carousing on a stag party. The third run of last week has spilled over into this week and sure what harm, eh? On Mother’s Day I chose drinking Sauvignon Blanc at lunchtime over running because a) I’m human and b) it was MY DAAAAYYY! I’ll catch up.

In other news, I’ve signed up for a 5K series beginning in April. Ahhh! A 5k race a week for in 5 weeks! Can it be done? I’m excited and petrified in equal measure but it’s something to work towards and keep me motivated.

IN-RUN ENTERTAINMENT

So here’s a little something I learned about myself on this running ‘journey’ of mine: I do NOT like to run to music. No matter how clever Spotify might be at matching my tempo to some obscure (slow) rock, a podcast seems to makes the time whizz by and helps me overcome the tedium much more easily.

This week I’ve decided to write a quick post on some of my favourite podcasts that keep me distracted from the sweating, and the panting and the leg pain. They’re also perfect for non-running parents in dire need of entertainment and an opportunity to tune out the noise, and well, what mother even has access to the TV remote anyway?

A PODCAST FOR EVERY MOOD

For Serious Parenty Stuff

Parenting on Moncreiff (Newstalk)

I’ve always liked Sean Moncrieff. His parenting slot with straight-shooting psychologist, David Carey, answers listeners’ questions covering as many parenting topics as you can shake a sticker chart at. The advice is solid and practical and they’re bite-sized too, so you can line up a few.

Janet Lansbury – Unruffled (Respectful Parenting)

If you like her written stuff and her parenting philosophies, then there’s more of it in podcast form. She can rub people up the wrong way at times, but you know she talks sense. Definitely worth a listen especially if, like me, you’ve very little time for reading parenting-related books and articles anymore because you’re too busy trying to keep your children happy/fed/alive.

For Parenty Lolz

Scummy Mummies

This is my absolute fave. If you haven’t tuned into this one, you need to get right on it. Irreverent, honest and so flipping funny, comedians Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn talk parenting woes with guests you’ll love – writers, bloggers, actors – none of whom are too cool to admit their deepest, darkest parenting confessions. If you’re not that into podcasts but you fancy a laugh then this is a good place to start.

For Celeb Interviews

Get it On – Dawn O’Porter

I’ve always had a bit of a girl crush on Dawn O’Porter and her hair. I’m still not convinced of her unusual adoption of O’Dowd’s ‘O’ but what’s it to me? She has a host of fantastic guests and I love the easy, casual, chatty nature of the interviews. While the focus is on fashion and style, it’s not at all boring for people (like me) who don’t know much about fashion and style. With guests like Alan Carr, Dawn French and Aisling Bea, it provides the perfect running distraction.

For the Feminist Perspective

The Guilty Feminist

Who doesn’t love their feminism with a side of comedy? Comedian Deborah Frances-White, alongside her co-host Sofie Hagen and various high-profile, funny guests like Sarah Millican & Roisin Conaty discuss feminist topics in an easy and engaging way whilst admitting their own insecurities and shortcomings that can get in the way of the smashing of the patriarchy. The tone is fun and light and the ‘I’m a feminist BUT…’ intros will have you laughing out loud.

Lena Dunham’s Women of the Hour

This miniseries covers a range of themes like friendhship, sexism, work and body image. Guests like Zadie Smith and Emma Stone talk about life and being modern women. Described as Girls in Podcast form, how couldn’t you get excited about this? Unless of course you hate Girls and Lena Dunham, in which case this probably isn’t for you.

For Mystery, Intrigue & True Crime

Serial

I was totally hooked on series one of this last year, as were millions of others. It documents the investigation of the murder of an eighteen year old high-school student in Baltimore in 1999. Her ex-boyfriend – who always protested his innocence – was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. That’s as much as you need to know. Get stuck in. It’ll keep you thinking long after each episode has finished. And the people behind Serial have just released a new one called S-Town. Sounds promising.

NOTE: EDITED, APRIL 10th, 2017 to include this next paragraph… (which means this is now a list of nine perfect podcasts instead of eight. You’re welcome).

S-TOWN

About a week after publishing this post, I listened to S-Town. In a list of gripping True Crime podcasts (even though it’s not really crime, is it?) I would just be entirely remiss if I left this one out so I’ve come back to include it. From the people who brought us This American Life and Serial, S-Town chronicles the life of an eccentric resident of Shit-Town, Alabama. It might take an episode or two to lure you in but lure you and ensnare you, it will. Plus everyone’s talking about it, so you kind of have to really.

Criminal

I’ve only started listening to Criminal recently and I’m loving it. Described as “stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle”, Criminal deals with a different case in each episode. The cases are more complex and clever than your usual whodunnits and at just under half an hour long each, they’re the perfect length for your 5k run.

THE RUNNING WEEK AHEAD

The good news: This week is straightforward. We run for 25 minutes each time.

The bad news: We run for 25 minutes each time.

The app suggests that our 25 minute run should cover 2.5 miles or 4.K so now would be a good time to use a distance tracker to see how far we are getting. Onwards we go. We’re SO near the end.

Do you have any other podcast suggestions? What do you listen to when you run? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. In fact, I get the warm and fuzzies every time a new comment comes in!

If you’re taking part in the Momto5K series, don’t forget to stop back here or visit my Facebook page during the week to let us know if you’ve battled through another three runs. You’ll find me either gloating or complaining (mostly complaining and banging on as if I’m the first woman to ever run) on Instagram Stories.

If you’re a blogger or someone with an interest or background in fitness and you’d like to contribute to the series, get in touch via email. You’ll find me at shinnersandthebrood@gmail.com.

18 comments on “8 Great Podcasts For Running, Commuting or Just Tuning Out”

A 5k series? Wow that’s awesome motivation, I like the sound of that! I saw your tweet re running with podcasts and actually gave it a go this morning – I have to say it was a totally different running experience! I was always convinced I needed music to ‘get lost in’ but actually I found the podcast kept my brain entertained but also allowed me to be conscious of my running technique which was great. I could also hear more of what was going on around me, a couple of ‘morning!’ s and one’ ooh you made me jump!’ which makes me wonder – how many people have I been totally blanking up until now??!! Oops. I love your podcast suggestions, right up my street so am dying to check them out. Good luck with Week 7, re distance tracking I’ve always suspected I’m falling slightly behind as obviously everyone runs differently over a set period of time. On Friday I did the last day of week 8, which is the 5k so I wanted to be sure I’d actually DONE 5k and used Runkeeper from the point where it tells you to start running after the 5min warm up. It worked well and I probably only had to run for another 4mins but I was expecting that given I run like a knock-kneed Hobbit. 🙂
#BloggerClubUKMess and Merlot recently posted…COUCH TO 5K – WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE

Hahaha! I know what you mean about not hearing things around you! I usually try to feebly smile at anyone I pass, just in case! I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of ground I’m covering. I’m SLOOOOW! But sure that’s grand too! 🙂

I was initially wowed by spotifys running to pace playlists but boy are they dated? It’ a shame you can’t fine tune them by genre… I have now resorted to Hot Hits which is at least a little more current if a little Rude Boy at times 😉
You have totally sold it to me…next week i will be running with Scummy Mummies!
Err…where do I find a podcast?
Thanks for sharing with #coolmumclubMMT recently posted…#coolmumclub Linky week 62

Best of luck with week 7! I always loved music to run to, but I love a podcast for chilling me out before bedtime. I loved Serial too, but found the second one hard going (and I think we gave up in the end) – and we’ve just started the first episode of S-Town, but fallen asleep twice so far! Not sure it’s going to be as gripping. Thanks for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLoveKaty – Hot Pink Wellingtons recently posted…The Ordinary Moments: Mother’s Day and Cups of Tea

I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never listened to a podcast, its never really occurred to me to do so. I feel like I’ve been missing out! I love Dawn too and I didn’t know she had a podcast, I’m off to take a look. thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove xLaura – Dear Bear and Beany recently posted…Living arrows 14/52 {2017}

Ohh I have actually never listened to a podcast but lots of these sounds so good..where/how do you listen to podcasts? Sounds like your running is going really well, go you!xx #pocoloWendy recently posted…#BlogCrush linky – Week 7

Oh man I am hugely obsessed with serial – I love it and always get so engrossed in the detail. I heard they were also bringing to the TV. I cannot wait to hear their new podcast, bet that will be fab as well. #coolmumclub

I think if I were a runner I’d like music for the rhythm although thinking about it I’d probably have to concentrate more on the podcasts so that may take my mind off the actual running… Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo